


The Evening Before

by Elizabeth (anghraine)



Series: Pride and Prejudice:  A Play In Some Number of Acts Yet To Be Determined [1]
Category: Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
Genre: Canon-Compliant, Gen, Screenplay/Script Format
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-06-06
Updated: 2007-06-06
Packaged: 2017-10-13 06:41:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 936
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/134138
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anghraine/pseuds/Elizabeth
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>And your assurance of it, I suppose, carried immediate conviction to him. -- <i>Pride and Prejudice</i>, Ch 58</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Evening Before

starring: 

 

CHARLES BINGLEY

FITZWILLIAM DARCY

 

NETHERFIELD LIBRARY — evening

 

 _[BINGLEY can be soon through a dimly-lit window, marching back and forth, gesturing wildly as he talks. DARCY is in a chair, legs stretched out, and reading _King Lear_.]_

BINGLEY  
— an angel more beautiful!

DARCY  
Mm-hmm.

BINGLEY  
Darcy, are you listening to me?

DARCY  
Mm-hmm.

BINGLEY  
Oh. Well, she is the best woman in the world. Do you not think so? The most beautiful, virtuous, sweet-natured, warm-hearted . . .

DARCY  
Mm.

BINGLEY  
I want to marry her.

DARCY _[straightens slightly, otherwise unaffected]_  
Is that so?

BINGLEY  
Yes, it is so! I know my sisters will disapprove of the match, and that, perhaps, there is a certain something to be wished for in the behaviour of some of her relations, but she is so above reproach in every way — and Miss Elizabeth too. Now, I know you dislike her . . .

DARCY _[turns a page, mouth twitching behind the book]_  
Oh?

BINGLEY  
But even you must admit she is very well-bred, and Mr Bennet too, and the younger girls practically so.

DARCY  
Mm.

BINGLEY  
And . . . and I think she likes me. I mean, _likes_ me . . . a great deal, that is . . . holds some genuine, sincere, true, real, earnest affection for me.

DARCY  
Yes, I think so too.

BINGLEY  
And I . . . what?

DARCY  
. . .

BINGLEY _[spins around, facing DARCY]_  
You think she’s in love with me?

DARCY  
There _[he coughs]_ is a certain likelihood —

BINGLEY  
Why didn’t you mention it before? I could have been spared a _week_ of suffering and torment!

DARCY _[looks unsympathetic and returns to his book]_  
Mm.

BINGLEY  
What am I going to do? If only I could get a moment alone with her —

DARCY _[under his breath]_  
I am sure Mrs Bennet could arrange something.

BINGLEY  
What was that?

DARCY  
Nothing.

BINGLEY _[throws himself into chair opposite DARCY]_  
And what do I _say?_ Darcy, would you put that book down? I need help — advice — a good speech! . . . Are there any eloquent quotations in there?

DARCY  
 _How sharper than a serpent’s tooth it is to have a thankless child._

BINGLEY  
. . .

DARCY  
I am not sure if it is quite suitable to the occasion.

BINGLEY _[plaintively]_  
Do you have any advice? Any at all?

DARCY  
Avoid mentioning the inferiority of her circumstances, and you should do well enough.

BINGLEY  
What circumstances?

DARCY  
Never mind.

BINGLEY _[leaps up, begins pacing again]_  
Well, I’ll say ‘Miss Bennet’ — no, ‘Jane’ — yes, ‘Jane, I love you. I think I have always loved you. You are — ’

DARCY  
Except when you loved Miss Preston-Grey, of course — and Lady Alethea — and my cousin Philadelphia — and possibly my _other_ cousin, Di—

BINGLEY  
You are not helping.

DARCY _[unrepentant]_  
Sorry.

BINGLEY  
‘Your beauty blinds me, your goodness humbles me, the light of your eyes gives me hope for’ . . . for, well, for something good. I’ll think of it later.

DARCY _[trying not to smile]_  
An excellent idea. Oh . . . _[forces a composed look]_ You might want to mention something about having no idea she was in London last winter.

BINGLEY  
But I _don’t_ have any idea that she was in — _she was in London last winter?!_

DARCY _[attempting to sound casual]_  
Mm-hmm. _[fiddles with pages of the book]_

BINGLEY [shocked]  
How did you know . . . ?

DARCY  
Your sisters might have mentioned something about it.

BINGLEY  
Caroline and Louisa _knew? [eyes wide, jaw dropped, beginning to look furious]_

DARCY  
I, er, understand that Miss Bennet once called on them.

BINGLEY _[eerily calm]_  
You knew of this? At the time?

DARCY  
I knew of her presence, yes. I never saw her.

BINGLEY  
You _lied?_

DARCY  
I never said anything untrue . . . oh, very well, I did sink to a certain amount of . . . _[he almost spits the word]_ deceit.

BINGLEY _[begins pacing again]_  
I cannot believe this! Good God . . . what must she think of me?

DARCY  
Once the truth is known to her, that you are a very amiable gentleman who fell under the influence of pernicious friends, or that the entire affair is a great misunderstanding. Either would be essentially correct.

BINGLEY  
How could she possibly have any tender feelings for me now? She must think me an utter cad!

DARCY  
Apparently not.

BINGLEY  
What do you mean?

DARCY  
I seem to have been . . . _[he grimaces]_ mistaken. She loves you, I am certain of it. I . . . apologise _[he pronounces the word with palpable distaste]_ for my interference. It was both impertinent and absurd, as I am neither your father nor your brother, and my arguments against the match were founded on . . . principally . . . faulty premises.

BINGLEY  
Oh! Well, really, I hardly know what to think, or do, or, or . . .

DARCY _[stands and stretches]_  
You are in love with a handsome, sensible, sweet-tempered young lady who fully reciprocates your affections. Propose to the girl.

BINGLEY  
Are . . . are you sure she loves me?

DARCY  
Yes, Bingley.

BINGLEY  
She’ll accept me?

DARCY  
Yes.

BINGLEY [beaming]  
I’ll propose at once!—Tomorrow!

DARCY  
You might want to wait until her relations are out of the room.

BINGLEY  
Yes . . . of course. You __are__ sure, Darcy?

DARCY _[sighs]_  
 _Yes_ , Bingley.

BINGLEY  
I am the happiest man in the world! _[calming]_ Er, Darcy?

DARCY  
Yes, Bingley?

BINGLEY  
I, er, you don’t, er . . . mind at all, do you? I mean . . . you were rather set against it, and now . . . well, you know, we’ve been friends awhile and . . . well . . . I just wanted to make certain that you were, er, not unhappy or . . . you know, that Ihaveyourblessing.

DARCY _[very sincerely]_  
I wish you and Miss Bennet the best of happiness.

BINGLEY _[grins rather sheepishly, then hugs a clearly horrified DARCY]_  
Thank you. I’ll never forget this, you know . . .

DARCY _[choking]_  
Mmph.


End file.
